【推荐1】Since I was born and brought up in a rural town, I have a great interest in nature. Taking the chance of studying abroad in my second year at college, I decided to go to Canada just because I wanted to see the beautiful phenomena there. So after I finished the study program, I went to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories.

I clearly remember the sixth night in Yellowknife. Suddenly my host mother came to my room around 8 p.m. and told me to change clothes and go outside quickly carrying her camera.

The northern lights were flickering in the sky! I was shocked and just stood there with my mouth open. I forgot to take pictures of the mysterious lights.

Since that night, whenever it was sunny, I went outside at night and looked at the sky. It was so cold that I lost all feeling in my hands and feet.

As I took pictures of the northern lights, I came to find a characteristic movement of the lights. They first appear in the north part of the sky and then they gradually come down to the south part of the sky. After that, suddenly, they come in the middle of the north and south only for a while, which is the time when the best northern lights can be seen. Since it is only a few seconds for the northern lights to come down to the middle to the sky, it is very hard to get good pictures.

The stronger the sun acts, the better and stronger the northern lights flicker in the sky. That’s because they come about from the collisions between atmospheric gases and solar wind. Much more solar wind comes to the earth when the sun is active, which leads to best northern lights. And the colors of the northern lights depend on the height of the collisions and the kinds of gases.

1. Why did the host mother ask the author to go out?

A．She wanted to tell him something important.

B．She wanted to take a walk with him.

C．She wanted him to see the northern lights.

D．She wanted to take a picture of him.

2. The author forgot to take pictures after going out because _______ .

A．the host mother didn’t remind him to take the camera

B．he lost his feeling in his hands and feet

C．the lights flickering in the sky disappeared too soon

D．he was shocked by the wonderful sight

3. When is the best time to see the northern lights?

A．When they are between the north and south.

B．When they come down to the south part of the sky.

C．When they appear in the north part of the sky.

D．When they rise in the east part of the sky.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Ways to take good pictures of the northern lights.

B．The time of the best northern lights.

C．The relationship between the sun and the northern lights.

D．The colors of the northern lights.

【推荐3】You may have noticed that the world’s population is not evenly distributed (分布) around our planet. There are some countries where people seem to be living nearly on top ofeach other because conditions are overcrowded. Then there are others where it seems that hardly anybody lives. What influences this unequal distribution of people? There are specific advantages and disadvantages of diving in a certain area.
The two main factors that influence people’s choice of location are climate and resources. Climate is the usual weather conditions in a region. Areas that have bad weather are generally less deal as places to live in. The north and south poles at the top and bottom of the world may be beautiful in their rugged, natural way, but the disadvantage of the bitterly cold and windy conditions usually keeps people away. When it comes to climate, warm conditions and a normal amount of rainfall are advantages that attract people.
Natural resources are things that we get from nature that help us survive. Each region offers different resources, and therefore attracts different groups of people. People who enjoy the beach can make their living by catching and selling the ocean′s many fish and other sea creatures. Those who prefer farming can take advantage of rich soil (土壤) in valleys near rivers. Some people are willing to accept the disadvantages of the terrible conditions of deserts or mountains in order to take advantage of the resources like oil or woods.
1. The underlined part “on top of ” in the first paragraph most likely means_______.

A．very close to	B．on the highest part of
C．in control of	D．on the surface of

2. What are the main factors that influence the distribution of people?

A．Resources and oceans.	B．Climate and rivers.
C．Climate and resources.	D．Warm conditions and rainfall.

3. The writer thinks many people don’t live near the north or south pole because ________.

A．they can’t get enough food there

B．they natural sights there don’t attract people

C．the unpleasant weather keeps them away

D．the length of nighttime is too short or too long

4. Why do people go and live in valleys near rivers?

A．The temperature isn′t too low in winter.

B．the resources like oil can bring them much money.

C．People can make their living by catching and selling fish.

D．It′s easier for people to grow plants or keep animals.

5. The purpose of the example in the last paragraph is to tell us _______.

A．people cannot survive in cold conditions

B．different resources attract different groups of people

C．People usually prefer living at the seaside to living in mountains

D．a normal amount of rainfall is necessary for people to live in the desert

【推荐1】Dog owners feeling guilty for leaving their pets alone at home for too long will soon be able to take comfort in the fact that at least the animals won’t be bored. They’ll be too busy changing TV channels and enjoying their favorite shows thanks to the world’s first dog-friendly remote control.

UK-based pet food brand Wagg surveyed a number of pet owners and found that 91% of respondents said their dog friends regularly watched TV with them. Inspired by this interesting finding, the company teamed up with Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, an expert in animal computer interaction design, to create the world’s first remote control for dogs. They came up with a prototype(样品)which is currently in a trial and analysis period.

The oversized remote is made of hard-wearing plastic. So while dogs can chew on it like any other toy, they’ll have a tough time actually causing any damage. It has three large, raised, paw-friendly buttons shaped like a bone, paw and ball which dogs can press to turn the TV on or off, change the channel and even”pause”a show for later viewing. The remote also has a hole through which a rope can be tied so dogs can carry it around the house.

“Our studies indicate that the average dog now watches more than nine hours of TV a week, showing technology is already playing a huge part in our pets’ lives, “Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas said.

After Wagg performs all its tests and perfects the dog-friendly TV remote control, the company plans to approach tech companies about getting the device into production. So you and your pet dog may soon be fighting over control of your TV set.

1. What made Wagg think of inventing the dog-friendly remote control?

A．Dogs like chewing plastic remote controls.

B．Dogs often watch TV with their owners.

C．Dogs have difficulty using the current remote controls.

D．Dog owners complain about dogs biting their remote controls.

2. What can we learn about the dog-friendly remote control?

A．It doesn’t need batteries.	B．It is large but very light.
C．It is in the shape of a bone.	D．It can last a long time.

3. Which statement might Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas agree with?

A．It’s time for owners to control dogs’ watching TV.

B．Technology has already come into dogs’ life.

C．Dogs have a closer relationship with their owners than before.

D．Dogs can’t live well without this dog-friendly remote control.

4. What might be dog owners’ attitude toward this dog-friendly remote control?

A．Supportive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Opposed.

D．Worried.

【推荐2】The UN Environment Programme says that raising temperatures could mean the end of some migrating (迁徙) animals.

Migrating animals move through several environments as they travel away from the cold area into winter to warmer ones. Birds may fly from one part of the world to another, perhaps stopping at feeding grounds on the way. Whales and turtles travel through huge areas of ocean. A report says that changes in any one of the places where these animals stay can cause serious problems. “Obviously these animals have developed their traveling ways over thousands of years. But weather changes much greater over the next 25 to 50 years. And it is impossible for these animals to change their habits fast enough,” said the report writer Dr. Robert Hepworth.

Turtles are hit hardest by rising temperatures. Scientists have found that at higher temperatures, Turtles have far more female eggs than male ones. In parts of Malaysia, Turtles are only giving birth to female babies. And some turtles are more probable to develop cancer as the waters get warmer.

With birds, the main problem is the harm to important areas at the end of their travels or at resting places along the way. About one-fifth of immigration birds are now in danger because of these changes, including rising sea levels, land loss and more strong storms.

Some other animals are now in great danger. For example , the North Atlantic Right Whale is losing their food because of the changing ocean flows; The White-Nose Dolphin is out-competed (淘汰)   by other kinds in warmer waters.

The report is not all bad news. Even with the temperature changing, protecting the environment can still help migrating animals return. "We need governments to start taking action all over the world. The clock is ticking. We should make full use of every minute. " said Dr. Hepworth. And now some projects are already working! Whales are changing their feeding habits , finding new feeding grounds and new foods to eat.

1. Why does this raising temperature mean the end of some migrating animals?

A．They stop moving through several environments.

B．They can't suit the changes during their travelling.

C．Their travelling habits will be changed fast enough.

D．They keep flying from one part of the world to another.

2. What is the result of the warming according to the passage?

A．The North Atlantic Right Whale may find new food.

B．Some turtles may develop cancer with the warm waters.

C．1/5 of migrating birds change their feeding habits.

D．The White-Nosed Dolphin may have only female babies.

3. What does the underlined sentence “The clock is ticking”mean?

A．It takes time to achieve the project.

B．It may be too late to save the world.

C．It's time to solve the problems at once.

D．It's important to stop animals from returning.

4. What's the main topic of the passage?

A．Ways to prevent world warming.

B．Steps to save the animals in danger.

C．Animals' competition with others for food.

D．Effect of rising temperatures on migrating animals.

【推荐3】Have you ever wondered how astronauts clean their clothes in space? You may find the answer surprising — they do not. They wear their clothes until they cannot take the dirt and smell anymore. Then, they throw them away.

NASA wants to change that. This would mean the end to throwing away lots of dirty clothes every year. Up to now, they simply had to put them with other waste in old supply ships to burn up in the atmosphere. NASA is working with Procter & Gamble (P&G), to learn how best to clean astronauts’ clothes in space.

NASA says rocket storage space is small and costly. So, why waste it? The clothes would use a lot of storage space, especially on a three-year Mars mission. There are also the problems of health and comfort.

Space station astronauts exercise two hours every day to fight the effects of weightlessness on their bodies. Leland Melvin, a former NASA astronaut, says their exercise clothing becomes so unpleasant that they use a new set every week, and that while NASA and the other space station partners have researched ways to lengthen wear time with special clothes, that is not a long-term solution (解决办法).

In its first experiment, P&G will send up detergent (洗涤剂) made just for space in December. Scientists will see how the compounds in the detergent react to six months of weightlessness. Next May, they will send stain-removal pens and cloths to the ISS for testing by astronauts. At present, P&G is developing a washer-dryer machine that could operate on the moon or even Mars someday. It would use small amounts of water and detergent. Such a machine could also be useful in dry places here on Earth.

1. What problem in space do NASA and P&G aim to solve?

A．Lack of detergents.

B．Lack of comforts.

C．Lack of fund

D．Lack of space

2. What can be inferred from what Leland Melvin says?

A．Exercise in space is physically demanding.

B．The cooperation between NASA and P&G is workable.

C．New clothes are of great benefit compared to used clothes.

D．An effective way of lengthening wear time has been found.

3. What will P&G do next year?

A．Send detergent into space.

B．Operate a machine on the moon or even Mars.

C．Send stain-removal pens and cloths to the space station.

D．Send a washer-dryer machine using a little water on the moon.

4. In which section may this text appear?

A．A travel brochure.

B．A science paper

C．A recipe book.

D．A biography.

【推荐1】Recently, university students around the world were asked to volunteer in a global experiment called Unplugged. It was designed to see how young people would react if they were asked to observe a total media ban by unplugging all forms of media devices for 24 hours.
Unplugged is being run by Dr Roman Gerodimos，a lecturer in Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University. During the experiment，Dr Gerodimos said there were already   signs of how much the exercise affected volunteers. He said：“They’re reporting withdrawal symptoms，overeating，feeling nervous，isolated and disconnected.”
During their 24-hour test，three of the experiment’s participants were followed around by a BBC reporter plus cameraman. They were asked to write down 100 lines about their day offline，but of course，they all waited until the next day when they had access to their laptops.
Elliot Day wrote：“Today, my whole morning routine was thrown up into the air. Despite being aware of the social importance of the media, I was surprised by how empty my life felt without the radio or newspapers.”
From Caroline Scott，we read：“I didn’t expect it，but being deprived of the media for 24 hours resulted in my day-to-day activities becoming so much harder to carry out than usual…I didn’t break out in a cold sweat like our lecturer expected us all to，but it’s not something I would like to do again！”
And Charlotte Gay wrote：“I have to say the most difficult item for me to be without has been my mobile；not only is it a social device，it’s my main access point of communication.”
Earlier in the year, a UK government study found that in the UK we spend about half our waking hours using the media, often plugged into several things at once. So, with technology continuing to develop at an alarming rate, how much time will you set aside for sleep in the future?
1. What can we learn about the volunteers?

A．Volunteers didn’t write down about their day offline.

B．Volunteers weren’t allowed to use any media for 24 hours.

C．Volunteers were followed around by Dr Roman Gerodimos.

D．Only volunteers in the UK took part in Unplugged experiment.

2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the participants’ feelings？

A．Anxious.

B．Lonely

C．Bored.

D．Despaired.

3. Which of the following is true of Caroline Scott？

A．The media ban affected his temperature.

B．His work went on smoothly without the media.

C．His work was carried on hard without the media.

D．His life was empty without the radio or newspapers.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．People should use the media devices reasonably.

B．People can easily survive the media devices addict.

C．People can spend more time sleeping in the future.

D．People spend about half the time using the media devices.

5. The text is most probably a ________.

A．newspaper ad	B．book review
C．news report	D．science fiction story

【推荐2】This is what's known as a 'Buddy' or Friendship Bench'. They're needed because playgrounds can be lonely places sometimes. And these benches can help pupils feeling lonely to find a friend. Benches like this have been around for a while now in some schools. But in Ireland, they are trying to do something a bit different with them.

This school in Cork in the south of Ireland is the 47th to get one from a social enterprise called Buddy Bench Ireland that doesn't just provide schools with benches, it also runs special workshops with trained child psychiatrists. They use the bench as an opportunity to start conversations about mental well-being. They talk about the importance of being aware of your feelings and those of others. The children need to understand what the bench is about, what it symbolizes— friendship, listening to each other and the most important thing is to express feelings.

But do children actually use the bench? It's something an independent academic study has been looking at. We found that 40% of the children told us that they had actually used the benches at the time of the study. And over 90% said that they would talk to a child if that child was sitting on the bench. So, certainly there doesn't appear to be any issues around whether they are properly used. Children's mental health at school is increasingly a concern in many countries. Buddy Bench Ireland is hoping these benches will not only handle issues like social isolation and bullying but also give a future generation the confidence to open up about their feelings. Therefore, they are attempting to make the bench gain high popularity in Ireland schools in a larger scale.

1. Why the school in Cork in the south of Ireland uses the bench?

A．To help children with psychological problems fully recover.

B．To replace the old benches in school.

C．To cut the cost of school's facility.

D．To start conversations about mental well-being.

2. What makes the bench work in Ireland schools?

A．Teachers and parents encourage children to try it.

B．All the children understand what the bench is about.

C．Most children are willing to express feelings.

D．The bench helps children get rid of loneliness.

3. What will Buddy Bench Ireland expect of the bench?

A．It will deal with social isolation and bullying completely.

B．It will motivate a future generation to bravely convey their feelings.

C．It will make children prefer the bench to old one.

D．It will appeal to more students to sit on it.

4. In your opinion, what content will be covered in the following paragraph ?

A．The reasons for the popularity of the bench.

B．The importance of being aware of students’ mental well-being.

C．The concrete approaches to promoting the use of the bench in more schools.

D．The ways to make the bench function effectively.

【推荐3】A campaign （活动）is being launched to encourage children to give up 30 minutes of screen time a day to head for the great outdoors.

The newly formed Wild Network — a cooperation of nearly 400 organisations --- is trying to attract teenagers away from television and computer screen and into fields, woods and parks. Organisers say that it is the UK's biggest ever campaign to reconnect children with nature and outdoor play, and that it could help improve fitness, mental（精神的）health and general well   being. A documentary film, Project Wild Thing, will announce the launch at more than 50 cinemas across the UK from Friday. It looks at the increasingly weak link between children and nature.

Andy Simpson, chairman of the Wild Network, said: "The sad truth is that kids have lost touch with nature. Time spent outdoors is down, activity areas and levels are falling strongly and the ability to identify common species （物种）has been lost."

Suggestions of how to get more time in nature include camping or racing and observing autumn colour on trees and so on. From January, the network will aim to make suggestions to politicians on how government can do more to get children muddy （沾满泥污的）and bright¬-eyed.

This is not the first time the message of less screen, more play has been brought up. Children in the 1980s were asked to do the same by the BBC TV series Why Don't You, which somewhat confusingly called on its viewers to "switch off your TV set, and do something less boring instead".

1. The purpose of the campaign is to call on kids____________.

A．to love animals	B．to play outdoors
C．to give up screens	D．to protect nature

2. What may make Andy Simpson sad?

A．Kids' disability to name some creatures.

B．The falling duration of Rids' vacations.

C．Strict rules on kids' outdoor activities.

D．The disappearance of common species.

3. What does the network appeal to the government to do?

A．Reconnect kids with nature.	B．Provide kids with more mud.
C．Take measures to protect kids.	D．Pay attention to eye protection.

4. Why does the author mention the BBC TV series?

A．To tell the development of BBC TV series.

B．To prove the recognition of his suggestion.

C．To show the TV series caused confusion.

D．To compare present TV series with old ones.

【推荐1】Underwater Museums     Many underwater museums are supported by companies that offer guided tours. A trained guide leads groups around a striking underwater display of statues in each museum. Depending on the depth of the museum, visitors may be able to view the sculptures from the glass bottomed boat or by swimming on the surface. Other underwater museums are deeper and are most accessible to scuba divers.

Underwater museums have many functions. One of their main purposes is to create an artificial reef environment where sea creatures can live. That’s why some of the museums are located in areas that were damaged by hurricanes or are considered underwater “deserts”. The statues in the museum are designed in a way that encourages the growth of coral and plant life. Over time, the statues and plants attract more and more fish to the area.

Florida, U.S.AFlorida is home to different types of underwater museums. The state’s newest underwater museum, the Underwater Museum of Art, can be found off the coast of Grayton Beach. This part of the Gulf of Mexico is an underwater desert, so creators hope that the exhibit will improve the marine ecosystem.

Cancun, MexicoFor years, Cancun has been a popular tourist destination. And one of the major draws is the water. The Museo Subacuatico de Arte is an ideal place for snorkelers and first time divers. There they can enjoy more than 500 statues that help to make up an artificial reef. This museum was created to give visitors an alternative attraction to the area’s natural reef, which has been damaged.

Canary Islands, SpainMuseo Atlantio, off the coast of Lanzarote, has an impressive display of more than 300 statues. They were created by Jason Decaires Taylor, a British sculptor, who has contributed to the creation of several underwater museums including the ones near Cancun and the Canary Islands. The Cancun statues focus on man’s interaction with the marine world.If you’re looking for a different museum experience, check out one that’s underwater.

1. In underwater museums, visitors can see the following things except.

A．statues	B．deserts
C．reefs	D．sculptures

2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A．Underwater museums can not be visited through guided tours.

B．Underwater museums are all located in areas damaged by hurricane.

C．Underwater museums can be viewed all over the world.

D．Underwater museums can help improve underwater environments.

3. We can learn from the passage that.

A．over 300 statues can be seen in the Underwater Museum of Art

B．natural reef hasn’t been damaged in Cancun

C．the statues of Cancun and the Canary Islands are made by the same sculptor

D．plant life can’t grow in underwater museums

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A personal diary.	B．A tourist guidebook.
C．An official report.	D．A hotel brochure.

【推荐2】If you're like many people, you may have decided that you want to spend less time staring at your phone. It's a good idea: an increasing body of evidence suggests that the time we spend on our smartphones is affecting our sleep, self-respect, relationships, memory, attention, creativity, productivity and problem solving and decision-making skills.

Until now, most discussions of phones' biochemical effects have focused on dopamine (多巴胺)，a brain chemical that helps us form habits. Smart-phones and apps are designed to cause dopamine's release, with the goal of making our phones difficult to put down.

But our phones' effects on cortisol（皮质醇）are potentially even more alarming. Cortisol is our primary fight-or-flight hormone. Its release（释放） causes our bodies' changes, such as a jump in blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar, that help us react to and survive acute physical threats. But by raising levels of cortisol, our phones may be threatening our health and shortening our lives.

The average American spends four hours a day staring at their smart-phone and keeps it within arm's reach nearly all the time, according to a tracking app called Moment. The result, as Google has noted in a report, is that "mobile phones loaded with social media, email and news apps" create "a constant sense of commitment bringing unintended personal stress."

"Your cortisol levels are increased when your phone is in sight or nearby, or when you hear it or even think you hear it," says David Greenfield, professor at the University of Connecticut School. "It's a stress response, and it feels unpleasant, and the body's natural response is to want to check the phone to make the stress go away."

But while doing so might comfort you for a second, it probably will make things worse in the long run. Any time you check your phone, you're likely to find something else stressful waiting for you, leading to another increase in cortisol and another desire to check your phone to your anxiety go away. This cycle, when continuously strengthened, leads to increased cortisol levels, which have been tied to an increased risk of serious health problems, including depression, obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack and so on.

1. What phone-related effect is dopamine responsible for?

A．Memory loss.	B．Increased mental stress.
C．A behavioral addiction.	D．Poor sleep quality.

2. What can we infer about cortisol according to the text?

A．Its decrease will improve heart rate.

B．Its release will lower blood pressure.

C．Its release has no benefits for humans.

D．Its increase is related to personal stress.

3. What may be further talked about after the last paragraph?

A．Ways to make phones less stressful.

B．Benefits of reducing dopamine levels.

C．Reasons why cortisol levels are increased.

D．Bad results of checking phones frequently.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Entertainment.

B．Health.

C．Technology.

D．Education.

【推荐3】Bullied(受欺凌的) kids face a high risk of mental health problems as teens and as young adults. Indeed, kids troubled by bullying may be worse off than those who had suffered physical abuse(虐待) or neglect, as the study found.

Until recently, most studies of child victims focused not on bullying but on maltreatment(虐待), Dieter Wolke says. Maltreatment includes physical or emotional abuse, neglect or other behaviors that can harm a child.

Wolke’s team wanted to better understand bullying’s long-term effects compared to those due to maltreatment. They focused on 4,026 children in the United Kingdom and 1,420 more in the United States. Information about bullying and maltreatment was collected for American children to age 13. They collected the same information for British youth up to age 16. The researchers also gathered data on each individuals’ mental health as a young adult.

Among the Americans, 36 percent of bullied kids had mental problems later. Those problems included anxiety, which is a state of excessive worry. They also included depression. That is a feeling of hopelessness that can last a long time. Among kids who had been maltreated by adults, 17 percent later suffered mental health problems. That was less than half the rate seen in people who had been bullied as school kids.

In the U.K. group, the difference was less dramatic. Roughly 25 percent of the bullied kids reported mental health problems later, compared with about 17 percent who had been maltreated. But however you look at it, the findings are disturbing. And that’s why Wolke says schools,health services and other agencies must work together to end bullying.

Studies like this are important, says Corinna Jenkins Tucker. They bring attention to the lasting impacts of bullying. Tucker does, however, question the value of comparing bullying to other types of abuse. Such an approach can make it seem like one type of bad experience is worse than the other, she says. In fact, both types have short-term and long-term effects on health. She’d like to see researchers study the big picture. They should try to understand how all of these negative experiences together shape children—and sometimes harm them.

1. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A．researchers should pay less attention to maltreatment

B．more bullied kids have mental problems in the USA

C．a similar number of children are maltreated in America and Britain

D．either bullying or maltreatment has negative effects on children’s health

2. The purpose of the author’s writing this passage is to ________.

A．advertise	B．inform
C．Compare	D．Entertain

3. The passage is most probably taken from ________.

A．a news section	B．a science section
C．a culture section	D．an entertainment section

4. In Tucker’s opinion, Wolke’s study is ________.

A．disappointing	B．Improvable
C．satisfactory	D．nonsense